Brake head arrangement



Aug. 16, 1949.

N FLESCH BRAKE HEAD ARRANGEMENT Filed Aug. 7, 1944 IQl VENTOR. jig 037mb 9%5 0/g/ Patented Aug. 16, 1949 in BRAKE HEAD ARRANGEMENT Norman Flesch, Chicago, 111., assignor to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, 111., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 7, 1944, Serial No. 548,348 '7 Claims. (Cl. 188221.1)

My invention relates to railway brake equipment and more particularly to mechanism for automatically adjusting and maintaining a brake head and an associated shoe substantially concentric with the periphery of a wheel such mechanism being commonly known as a brake head balancing device.

An object of my invention is to provide a brake head balancing device of practical form and suitable for convenient application to a brake head utilized in a clasp or a single shoe brake arrangement for a railway car truck.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel brake head balancing device having means for frictionally resisting the rotation of a brake head at its point of connection to an associated pivot member.

A specific object of my invention is to design a brake head balancing device capable of developing friction between the bearing portion of a brake hanger and the brake head, said hanger bearing portion and said brake head having a pivotal connection to an associated pivot memher.

A different object of my invention is to provide a novel brake head balancing device having stop means preventing pivotal movement of the brake head on an associated pivot member beyond predetermined limits necesary for engagement of the braking surface of the brake shoe with the pe-' riphery of the wheel.

My invention comprehends a brake head 01' novel form comprising spaced side walls and transverse walls extending therebetween, one of said transverse walls having end and intermediate brake shoe lugs on one side thereof and the other transverse wall forming a seat for associated friction means.

My invention also comprehends a novel brake head construction comprising a brake head having spaced walls with stop lugs formed integral therewith cooperative with stop lugs of a plate, said brake head having a pivotal connection with an associated pivot member and said plate having a fixed connection to said member.

a In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a brake mechanism embodying my invention. Figure 2 is an elevation taken fromthe left as seen in Figure 1.

Describing my invention in detail, the brake head, generally designated 2, comprises the spaced side walls 4 and 6 providing parallel bearing portions 1 and 8, respectively, having a transverse wall 9 extending therebetween and merging therewith, said transverse said side walls a 26 extends hushed at 3t.v

a conventional manner.

The hanger, generally designated I8, is in the form of a connecting rod with the bearing portion 20 extending between the spaced Walls 4 and 6 of the brake head, the upper end of the hanger having a bushed opening 22 for pivotal connection to associated supporting means.

The brake beam, generally designated 24, is provided with a trunnion end 26 carrying a bushing 28 press-fitted thereon. The trunnion end through aligned openings 30, 30 in the brake head bearing portions 1 and 8,'respectively, and through an opening 32 in thehanger bearing portion 20, the openings 30, 30 being bushed as at 34, 34 and the opening 32 being In order to control pivotal movement of the brake head 2 on the trunnion end 26 to maintain the brakin surface of the brake shoe (not shown) in concentricity with the periphery of an associated wheel (not shown) and also to prevent uneven wear of the brake shoe, I have provided yieldable means, which are interposed between the brake hanger and the brake head, for frictionally resisting the pivoting of the brake head on or about the trunnion end of the brake beam to thereby hold the brake head in an adjusted position, or any other, which it may assumein accordance with working conditions. To this end, the brake head is formed with a bottom wall 38 between the side walls 4 and 6 and merging therewith, said wall having an opening 40 therein for reception of the shank 42 of a boltlikemember 44. a The head of the member 44 is formed to provide a friction block 46 having an arcuate friction surface 48 in complementary frictional engagement with the outer cylindrical surface of the bearing portion 20 of the hanger l8. Coiled around the shank 42 of the member 44 is a spring 50 which is confined between the friction block and the wall 38 of the brake head 2, said spring being of suitable strength to produce suiiicient friction between the engaged surfaces .of the friction block 46 and the hanger I8 to normally hold the brake head on the trunnion end in, an adjusted position but adapted to yield and permitthe engaged surfaces toslide upon each other when further adjustment is effected by application of the brake shoe to the periphery of the wheel. .By means of this arrangement, the breakhead normally is-yieldably held inproper.

zm zthe eriphery of the bushinggztf extendingwutwardly from the bearin'g 'portion 8 of the head 2 and another washer 56 on a reduced threaded portion 58 of the trunnion end 26 in en gagement with the washer 54, said washers fl and 56 being urged into engagement with each other and also the bushing zil a ri'd the trunnion end portion 58, respectively,"byanut -60=threa"ded' on the portion of the trunnion end 26. A lock washer 62, interposed between; the nntififl- -andithe washer 56, and a suitable key 64, cooperative with the trunnion end 26 and the nut 65; maybe used for holding the nut 56 in a desired position.

Imerder: to preventpivotal: movement: of the brake head; on the trunnibrn endzifii of? the beam beymds predeternnned limits necessary? for? em gagementf oh the braking surface ofi't-he brake shoes with the wheel, stop means for effecting this result: arei provided between thetrunnion end-32m and the" brake. head '2. More particu lanai. the trunnion-end; 2 6:: of': the beam; surrounded: bya'thei Washer" 54;. is: formedi with hat parallel spacedzsurfacesr 6'6 engaging similar in" ternal surfaces 6a of the washer 54 thus! prelvent'ing rotation of. the wa'she'r' on the trunnion end: 2.6 for thebea'r'n. 'Iihe washer 54 is? provided: with outwardiy' extending: st'opc: lugsi 'lm anal-121m vertical alignment" and: positioned: betweenthe: brakerheadistop lugsv 1 Wand: 16; respectively; 'sa'iti lugstM-ian'd 16 bein integral with" the wall 6 i thes'brake head 2.2 'It' will be apparent-Ithat -rela-' tive: movement b'etweeni the brake head and the trunnion end 26 of the beam will bei're'str icted by the'engagement offthe stopilugs of thewaslier and the brake headw-ithin limits permitting theirshoetorbe' adjusted into a position concentric; to the periphery of the wheel: Itnray be' n'o'ted thatthe a brake head is fomnediwith stow-lugs 18 iomtherwalr 8:thereot t'o' permit the brake" head to be' indiscriminately" mounted on eithensiife -ofi thi'rirvhe'el.

Inass'emblirig my novel; brake; head balancing device, ithessprihgi 5 ll istplatced under-compression by' rotation :of 'thernutz 525 on the threaded end ofrtheibolt' #80 that" the friction blo'ckfi2 it or. the? bolt? will not interfere "with. the assembly of the devieew The? brake: head: an brake: hanger are placed; in assembled relationship with theop'e'n mess ah 3B in alignment with the? opening: 32s The: head and hanger. are tneir' slipped? on the: trunnionend 26: of the beaman d there after the: nut 52 be: backedt off of the bolt- 1 so "that the spring-f 50; will? cause: the friction block toroperatively engage: the hanger: The" Washers 5&55 an'd 'fiz'are' then positiohed on the trunnion end '26 of the beamzirflthewrdef' nameif and thewnutbfl threaded cm the trunnion: end '25? Itris 'tobe understoo'd-= that I do not to be, limitedi-by; the exacts embodiment of" the device: shown which is:= merely-' way or illiistra tiomand 'notf limitation as various andotlfer fonn-i'siofthe device; will} of course;- be apparent tolthosefskilled in the a;r't wi'thou't departing from the? spir'it 0f the invention 01 the scope bf claims?" I olaiihi ii In a brake head balancing devicey a: brake:

walls extending therebetween, one of said transverse walls being adapted to receive a brake shoe and the other transverse wall forming a support, a hanger having a bearing portion disposed between the side walls of said head, a pivot member extending within aligned openings in said side walls and said bearing portion, friction meansearried by said support and in frictional engagementwith' said bearing portion; and means for limiting lateral and pivotal movement of said head on said member, said means comprisingrfixed abutment means on said member at oneend thereof adjacent one of said walls for merititherewith', a plate having an openin'gf eceivingtheother end of said member, said 1ast-inentionedend of said member being formed noncinc'ular in cro'ss section and having complementary engagement with said plate, means fofmaihta'ining said plate in assembly with said member, and interengaging rigid stop means carried bysaid mate and the other'of said walls for limiting pivotal movement o'fsaidhead 'onsaid member;

23 a braKe head balancing device, abrake head having j spa'c'ed. side walls and transverse walls extending "therebetween; one ofsaid} trans verse walls being adapted to receive a brake'slioe and" the other transversewall forming a support; a hanger having a=bearing portiondisposed between the: side Wall's of" said headi a pivot member extending within alignedopenings said side walls and said bearing portion, frictionmeans carried said support and in frictional engagement with said bearing portion; means for'lir'niting lateral' arid ivotal 'move'ment of sai'd head on: said member; said means comprising fixed abutment means on said member at-on'ei e'rid-"tliereo'f adjacent on'e' of said walls for engagenferit therewith; a plate having an opening receiving tlie other end of said" member, said' last-mentioned end ofsaid 'member being formed? nonci'reulanin cross section and having: compl'e m'en't'ary engagement witrr said' plate; means for maintaining said plate in assembly with said member, sto'p lugson said plate; and stop lugs on: the other of said' 'sid'e' walls cooperabl'dwith thelugs o'n said plate for limiting pivotal move ment of said 'bralre head' on said' pivotmember.

32 In e t-brake: head? balancing device; a brake to heard-:iiaving spaced side walls and transverse walls extending therebetween, one of said trans versevwalis being adapted toreceive a brake shoe and z-ther other: transverse: wall: forming a sup port"; a hangeriiaving a -beai' ing portion disposed 5 between the side wallsi-ofsaidheadi a-pivot"mem'-= berc extending" within aligned openings in said side walls and said bearing portion; inseam means carried by said support aridiin frictional" engagement with said bearing-portion; means for -liniiting*lateral and 'pivotal movement of said head on said: member,- said 'means comprising} fixedrabutment: means on said 'membe-r at" one end"th'e'reof adjacent one of s'aid' walls-for en gagement s therewith;- a"- plate having an opening receiving the otherend ofsaid member, said-last mentioned. end: of said member bein formed noncircular' or'oss section and having-"comple-' meritairy engaged'neiiif withsaid plate, means for maintaining said plate in assembly witlr said member and 'interenga'girig"stop means carried b'y' said plate and the other" of sa'id" wallsfof limiting pivotal-F movement of s'aid'h'ead on said member; V

head having space-d side walls and transverse 7t semblY'i iC fiifig"af'brake head member and a hanger member, a pivot element extending through said members affording a pivotal connection therebetween, friction means carried by one of said members in frictional engagement with the other of said members, means for limiting lateral movement of said assembly on said element, said means comprising abutment means on said element adjacent one side of said assembly, a plate at the opposite side of said assembly, a non-circular portion on said element extending through a complementary opening in said plate and in engagement therewith along complementary surfaces, means for maintaining said plate in assembly with said element, and means for limiting pivotal movement of said head memher on said element comprising interengaging rigid stops carried by said plate and said head member.

5. In a brake head balancing device, a bisymmetrical brake head having spaced side walls and transverse walls extending therebetween, one of said transverse walls being adapted to receive a brake shoe and the other transverse wall forming a support, a hanger having a bearing portion disposed between the side walls of said head, a pivot member extending within aligned openings in said side walls and said bearing portion, friction means carried by said support and in frictional engagement with said bearing portion, and means for limiting lateral and pivotal movement of said head on said member, said means comprising fixed abutment means on said member at one end thereof adjacent one of said walls for engagement therewith, a plate having an opening receiving the other end of said member, said last-mentioned end of said member being formed noncircular in cross section and having complementary engagement with said plate, means for maintaining said plate in assembly with said member, and interengaging rigid stop means carried by said plate and the other of said walls for limiting pivotal movement of said head on said member, said head being adapted for mounting on a pivot member on either side of an associated truck frame.

6. In a brake head balancing device, a bisymmetrical brake head having spaced side walls and transverse walls extending therebetween, one of said transverse walls being adapted to receive a brake shoe and the other transverse wall forming a support, a hanger having a bearing portion disposed between the side walls of said head, a pivot member extending within aligned openings in said side walls and said bearing portion, friction means carried by said support and in frictional engagement with said bearing portion,

means for limiting lateral and pivotal movement of said head on said member, said means comprising fixed abutment means on said member at one end thereof adjacent one of said walls for engagement therewith, a plate having an opening receiving the other end of said member, said last-mentioned end of said member being formed noncircular in cross section and having complementary engagement with said plate, means for maintaining said plate in assembly with said member, stop lugs on said plate, and stop lugs on the other of said walls cooperable with the lugs on said plate for limiting pivotal movement of said brake head on said pivot member, said head being adapted for mounting on a pivot member on either side of an associated truck frame.

7. In a brake head balancing device, a bisymmetrical brake head having spaced side walls and transverse walls extending therebetween, one of said transverse walls being adapted to receive a brake shoe and the other transverse wall forming a support, a hanger having a bearing portion disposed between the side walls of said head, a pivot member extending within aligned openings in said side walls and said bearing portion, friction means carried by said support and in frictional engagement with said bearing portion, means for limiting lateral and pivotal movement of said head on said member, said means comprising fixed abutment means on said member at one end thereof adjacent one of said walls for engagement therewith, a plate having an opening receiving the other end of said member, said last-mentioned end of said member being formed noncircular in cross section and having complementary engagement with said plate, means for maintaining said plate in assembly with said member, and interengaging stop means carried by said plate and the other of said walls for limiting pivotal movement of said head on said member, said head being adapted for mounting on a pivot member on either side of an associated truck frame.

NORMAN FLESCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

